Amelia Grace There’s nothing complicated about a good beef stew, and that’s exactly its appeal. This is the meal I turn to on the coldest, greyest days, when what I want more than anything is something rich and warming that mostly looks after itself.
This recipe keeps things properly classic — good chunks of beef, plenty of root vegetables, and a rich gravy that thickens naturally as everything cooks together over a long, slow simmer.
It’s not trying to be clever, just genuinely comforting, and it’s one of those dishes that always tastes better than the sum of its parts would suggest.
Why a Long, Slow Simmer Is Essential for Good Stew
Stewing beef comes from harder-working parts of the animal, full of connective tissue that needs real time to break down properly.
Cooked quickly, these cuts stay tough and chewy, however good the other ingredients are. Given a long, gentle simmer, that same connective tissue slowly melts into the cooking liquid, tenderising the meat completely and naturally thickening the gravy at the same time.
This is why stew is very much a low and slow dish — there’s no way to rush good, tender beef, and trying to speed things up with higher heat will only leave you with tough meat in a thin gravy.
Ingredients for Delia Smith Beef Stew
- 1kg stewing beef, cut into large chunks
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped into chunks
- 2 celery sticks, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 600ml beef stock
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
How to Make Delia Smith Beef Stew — Step by Step
Step 1 — Coat and Brown the Beef
Toss the beef in the flour, salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based casserole dish and brown the beef in batches over medium-high heat, so it colours properly rather than steaming. Set aside.
Step 2 — Soften the Vegetables
In the same pan, cook the onion, carrots and celery for 6–8 minutes, until beginning to soften. Add the garlic for a final minute.
Step 3 — Add the Tomato Purée
Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute.
Step 4 — Return the Beef and Add the Liquid
Return the browned beef to the pan, pour in the stock and Worcestershire sauce, and add the bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Step 5 — Cover and Cook Low and Slow
Cover and simmer very gently, either on the hob or in an oven preheated to 150°C (130°C fan / Gas 2), for 2 hours.
Step 6 — Add the Potatoes
Stir in the chopped potatoes and continue cooking for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the beef and potatoes are both completely tender.
Step 7 — Check the Consistency
If the gravy is too thin, simmer uncovered for the final 15–20 minutes to reduce and thicken.
Step 8 — Serve
Remove the bay leaves and thyme stalks, and serve straight from the pot.
My Top Tips for the Best Delia Smith Beef Stew
Brown the beef properly, in batches. This step builds real flavour into the stew, and crowding the pan means the beef steams instead of browning, so take the extra few minutes to do it right.
Cut the vegetables in large, even chunks. Smaller pieces will simply disintegrate over such a long cooking time, so keep everything chunky enough to hold its shape.
Add the potatoes partway through, not at the start. Adding them too early means they’ll turn to mush long before the beef is properly tender.
Don’t rush the cooking time. This stew genuinely needs those hours for the beef to become tender, so resist the temptation to turn up the heat to speed things along.
Make it a day ahead if you can. Like most stews, this one tastes even better the next day, once the flavours have had time to properly settle.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with crusty bread for mopping up the gravy, or with a pile of buttery mashed potatoes if you’d like something extra. Simple steamed greens on the side round out the meal nicely.
How to Store Delia Smith Beef Stew
In the fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The flavour genuinely improves after a day or two.
At room temperature: Not suitable — cool and refrigerate promptly after cooking.
In the freezer: Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Defrost fully in the fridge before reheating gently until piping hot throughout.
Delia Smith Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Toss beef in flour, salt and pepper, then brown in batches. Set aside.
- Soften onion, carrots and celery, then add garlic.
- Stir in tomato purée for 1 minute.
- Return beef to the pan with stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves and thyme.
- Cover and braise at 150°C (130°C fan) for 2 hours.
- Add the potatoes and cook for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Reduce uncovered if the gravy needs thickening.
- Remove herbs and serve.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions About Delia Smith Beef Stew
Why is my beef still tough after cooking?
This usually just means it needs more time. Give it another 30 minutes to an hour on a low simmer and check again — tougher cuts can take longer than you’d expect to become properly tender.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the beef and vegetables as described, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 7–8 hours, adding the potatoes for the final 2 hours.
What’s the best cut of beef for stewing?
Stewing steak, chuck, or shin are all good choices — look for something with a bit of marbling and connective tissue, as this is what breaks down into tender, rich stew meat.
Can I add other vegetables to this stew?
Yes, parsnips, swede, or mushrooms all work well added alongside the other vegetables, adjusting the timing so quicker-cooking additions like mushrooms go in later.
